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Saiv
The Saiv were a sapient species originating from Ravion, one of the few with silicon-based biochemistries. They are the predominant species of the Saiv Empire, the youngest and smallest of the "big three" civilisations of known space. Other races tend to have violent encounters with the Saiv, or may be one of the races subjugated by the Empire, nurturing a discontempt for them. Biology and appearance Unlike other mammalian sapients, who evolved from primates, the Saiv evolved from mountain-dwelling felines. The skeleton is rounded and uniform, and large joints are shielded by silicon-fibre caps. Like their feline ancestors, the Saiv possess preternatural senses of flexibility, agility and balance, and proletarians are capable of prolonged physical exertion for up to 3 hours. In females, the upper molar regions of the mouth are each fused into carnassial molars, ending in fang-like canines, and both hands are clawed. In males, many feline characteristics are partially downplayed in favor of physical strength. Due to filtration of Ravionic sunlight by the nearby Rodrighal "dust belt" in the Rahma system, Ravion experiences an extremely dark quasi-night during 23 hours of it's 33-hour rotation period and a twilight-like day during the remaining 10 hours. Like most life on the planet, the Saiv are naturally active during night and at rest during day. Saiv sensory perception and athleticism are drastically higher than humans during Ravionic night but fall by 30% proficiency during Ravionic day. The iris of the eye is microscopically porous, covering an inner layer that reflects light into the retina a second time, granting excellent night vision and illuminating the iris during low ambient light levels. Saiv externally appear almost completely human, a trait which remains unexplained. Society and culture Most Saiv live under the security of the Saiv Empire, a "quasi-democracy" in which the state strives to solidify the sentient rights of Saiv but power is obtained through political intrigue. Constituting a miniscule fraction of the Saiv species, the genetically superior "aristocracy" offshoot tends to occupy leadership roles. Saiv civilisation is perpetually gripped by low-level civil war to determine the occupant of the Eagle Throne, the symbol of supreme Imperial power, and will escalate if the incumbent Emperor shows signs of weakness. Saiv are rarely interested in travelling outside the Empire. When they do, they might look for employment as mercenaries but tend to become pirates and smugglers. History Early history Felis Hominid Sapiens first diverged from quasi-primates on Ravion around 550,000 years ago. Clockwork engineering was an early technology in Ravionic history, since the earliest analytical clockwork diagrams date circa. 10,000 B.C., during the iron age. Idols dating from the agricultural revolution circa. 8,000 B.C. seem to indicate that the emergence of the aristocrats coincided with the emergence of civilisation at this time. Civilisation of the next 8 millenia progressed through an ancient, medieval and clockwork age but no time period qualifies as a contemporary era. Space age Isharo Cerillo united the planet's five nations in the 650s, forming the Saiv Empire. Ravion succeeded it's "bootstrap" space development in 662 A.D. when it entered the interstellar age, connecting various colonies formed earlier by a realspace exodus. The Saiv population on Ravion numbered slightly over 5 billion at this time. Soon, the Empire began subjugating neighbouring backwater worlds and toppling interstellar civilisations alongside further colonisation. By 2130 A.D., the Saiv sphere of influence measured 220 ly between it's two most distant points, and housed almost 20 billion Saiv and five subject species. First contact Xin'Ta'Faxi In 2030 A.D., a Xin'Ta'Faxi mining vessel began burrowing into an asteroid near the future Xin-Saiv neutral zone to acquire galathite ore. On the other side of the asteroid, a Saiv colony had recently been estabilished. The colony was shattered by the seismic activity resulting from the mining, casting all 67 inhabitants into space and subjecting them to explosive decompression. The mining vessel remained oblivious throughout the mining operation until a Saiv scouting vessel arrived to investigate lost contact with the colony. The scout reported the "attack" to High Command back in the Empire. Rather than approach the unknown race with reconciliation and familiarisation, the Saiv Empire rashly launched a scout taskforce and warfleet in the direction of the aliens, with orders to engage on sight. The Saiv ships soon found the Korlaron system. The inhabitants of Korlaron reached out to the new species unaware of the asteroid incident, but their gesture was returned by siege cannon fire, turning millions into ash and silica. A contingent of Xin'Ta'Faxi warships had been kept on standby specifically for such an attack and immediately set a course for the Korlaron system to meet the aggressors. Though the agility and fluency of Saiv tactica nearly scattered the Xin contingent, the ruthless efficiency of the Xin ships could not be exhausted, sealing a victory for the Xin. The Saiv warships promptly retreated to the Empire. Rather than try to seize the initiative, belligerents would analyse their telemetry and freeze colonisation in the direction of one another. The Xin'Ta'Faxi and Saiv would return to war 11 more times between 2030 and 2130 A.D., becoming disturbingly culturally acquainted by the final year.